Serial killers have long captured the public’s fascination, becoming the subject of documentaries, book, movies, and TV shows. From the chilling case of Ted Bundy to the captivating storytelling of “Mindhunter,” the true crime genre remains an entertainment powerhouse. But why do people seem drawn to these dark tales?
The psychology behind people’s interest in serial killers is complex. Some are fascinated by the “horror” of it, while others find it a way to confront their own fears in a safe environment. The human fascination with the grotesque, the unexplained, and the mind of a killer taps into a primal curiosity about evil. This could be rooted in the human need to understand danger in order to feel safe.
Dr. Scott Bonn, criminologist and author of Why We Love Serial Killers, explains: “Serial killers excites and enthrall people much like traffic accidents, train wrecks, or natural disasters, The public’s fascination with them is fueled by a mix of fear, curiosity, and a need to understand the unknown.”
The fascination shows up everywhere from Netflix docuseries like Dahmer and Making a Murderer to top charting crime podcasts like Serial and My Favorite Murder. Social media accounts dissecting criminal cases, Reddit forums with amateur sleuths, and YouTube creators analyzing forensic evidence have all contributed to the mainstream obsession. The accessibility of this content has made the genre a global phenomenon, turning real-life horror into bingeable entertainment.
True crime as a genre dates back decades, but interest spiked with high profile trials in the ‘70s and ‘80s, and has since evolved with the rise of digital platforms. Social media has further fueled this trend, allowing fans to interact, speculate, and even help solve cold cases.
Some problem with these books or shows are the growing ethical debate about profiting from real life tragedy, especially from the families of victims who feel retraumatized by constant retelling and Some fictional series blend fact and fiction, blurring lines between storytelling and reality, which can cause misinformation to spread. There are people with Hybristophilia defined as “manifest as a fascination, an idealized attachment, or even romantic relationships with incarcerated killers. This attraction is sometimes referred to as the “Bonnie and Clyde syndrome”.” These people find it interesting to watch serial killers in a more romantic lens.
So that being said will you tune in or not?
